How to Become a Juvenile Probation Counselor

Submitted by Samuel Homes on Friday, Feb 14th, 2014

A career as a juvenile probation counselor is both rewarding and can have great benefits. Those that decide to choose this career path will find that there are a plethora of options available to them once they have procured their bachelor’s degree and have underwent the proper training. If working with troubled teens or adolescents seems like a career fit for you, this may be the best career option available.

Educational Requirements

A juvenile probation counselor will need the same training as a probation officer. This training consists of a bachelor’s degree (1) in human services and employee-specific requirements. Many employers will require that their potential employees take a written and oral exam. Furthermore, a physiological exam must be passed in most cases.

Counselors may also be required to receive licensing or a certification in their respective states. This differs greatly from one state to the next, with many requiring supervision during an internship as well as a master’s degree. This information is accessible from a local college or career advisor that will tell you what your state requires.

Work Environment

A juvenile probation officer will be working with juveniles that have broken laws and ended up in juvenile detention (4). This is typically an environment that can be rather stressful and dangerous depending on those that the counselor works with. There is a high risk of violence and being able to communicate openly and honestly will be essential.

Salary and Career Outlook

The salary in this field has a media pay of $48,000 according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. The average pay per hour is over $23, however, the field is one that is shrinking with forecasts (4) not being favorable for those that are just entering into the field. While there are currently over 90,000 jobs in the field, the outlook going into 2022 sees 900 less jobs available resulting in a one percent decrease in overall job opportunities.

Those seeking to start a career as a juvenile probation counselor will need to ensure that they really choose their career path wisely. While those that work in the field are happy with their career, many of them are sometimes stressed because of the environment that they work in. Furthermore, there is a lower than average outlook for future job growth in the field. As stated previously, this is a shrinking career field which means finding a job in the coming years will require a good deal of persistence and hard work.

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